Towing hitch



Patented July l22?, 1935, f *Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE c 2,008,747 I i i v f 'I'OVVVINGv HITCH George A. Croft, Kansas City, Mo. Y i Application September 24,'1931,'Serial'No.'564,947

3 Claims. (C1. 280-.33-55) This invention relates to towing connections, forward end of the tongue to the rear axle or or what are commonly known as-hitches, espelother part ofthe automobile or tractor which is cially designed for connecting an automobile, or `to do the towing.l Bolts 28 secure the parts of tractor, at its rear end, to the forward end of the tongue together atthe forward 'end thereof. 5 another automobile, or to a four wheeled trailer, At the rear end of the tongue the bars 24-and .Y 5

in a manner to tow the rear automobile or trailer, 25 thereof are spread `apart and provided, in as well as to impart to the front wheels thereof the extremeend ofthe channel of each thereof, steering movements in accordance with the diwith a metallic ller member 30 held in place rection, and changes of direction, of travel of the by o, rivet 3|. A bolt -32, screw threaded and. l towing automobile. carrying nuts at bothends thereof ,passes through 1o Generally, the objects realized by the inventhe bars 274 and 25 andthe filler members 3U, 30. tion are the provision of a construction which is 35 is the fixed'or base member of a turn-table. simple, constituted of relatively few parts, strong, It consists of an elongated Piate of heavy Sheetrigid and durable, enicientand reliable in operametal bent downwardly along both Sideedses i tion, adaptable and adjustable to standard types thereof to constitute hongos 35 ond-3`iireSpee 15 of automobiles, which may be readily and speedtively and formedmidwoy of its length with an ily applied and removed-and which is relatively annular Ygroove or depression 38, concentric to inexpensive. Other more specific objects also .an Opening 39- Pla'te 35 is als? Provided With realized by the invention will be apparent from tWO bolt holes 4U at both ends thereof. the construction itself and some offthem men- This base member 35 of the turn-table rests 20A tioned in the detailed description which follows. upon cross bars 4I. 4l positioned'transversely One embodiment of the invention is illustrated aoroSS the top of theaXie .20 and iSv rigidly Secured inthe accompanying drawing, wherein to said axle by U-bolts 42, 42, extending Varound Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the imthe under side of the vaxle with their screw proved hitch joined to the front axle and steer- .tlrlreaded eIldS passing uDWardlY through operl- 25 ing connections of a vehicle to be towed; V iDgS in the bars 4|, 4| and through the openings Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section leng'th- 40 in the= member 3,5 and engaged by IlutS Which wise of the hitch asshown in Fig. 1 antiy on line are tightened to rigidly Secure the parts together 2-2 of Fig. 3; and in operative positions. 5 l Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3 3 of Fig..2; Therotathg member of the turn-table is com- 30 Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional'view on line 4-4 DoSed 0f tWo elongated plates 45 and 46 of Sheet of Fig. 2; Y metal superimposed yone upon the other except Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view on line 5-5 dat their forward ends and Secured together by a of Fig. 2; k Vrivet 47; the rearward portions of the plates be- V Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the fixed or base ing 0f the Same Width, hut the forward portion 35 member of the turn table; and Y Y of :the bottom plate 46 being considerably wider Fig. 7 is a plan viewv of the ring of the turnthan the overlying portion of plate 45. The fortable. ward end of plate 46 bends upwardly and rear- 20 is the flxedfront axle of the vehicle to be wardly around bolt 32 and terminatesbeneath 40 towed, having at opposite ends thereof the usual kthe extreme forward end 0f plate 45 and a holt 40 stub axles 2l 2l for the front wheelsinot shown)y 48 eXtendS upwardly through both thicknesses of said stub axles being'swiveled on upright pivot plate 46 and through the overhanging extremity pins 22, 22, and joined together by the usual vof plate 45. Two otherbolts 49and 50 extend connecting rod 23 of the steering mechanism. upwardly through theoverlying portions of plate The tongue of the hitch, ortowing connection, 4E beyond the side .edges respectively of top platev colnprises'two metallic channel bars 24 and 25 45, as bestshown in Figs. 1 and 3. Inthe event with the channeled or grooved sides thereof facof wear or other undesirable looseness in the ing towards each other. At the forward end of hinge constituted by the end of plate 46 engaging the tongue there is a coupling member consistaround the vhingebolt 32, tightening of the nuts 50 ing of a flat metal bar doubled upon itself, posionbolts 49 and 50 will effect closer engagement 50 tioned for part of its length in the oppositely ofthe plate around the bolt. At the same time, facing grooves of the bars 24 and 25, and providand :for the vsame purpose, the nut on bolt 48 ing two protecting arms 26 and 21 having holes may be tightened. -Undesirable movement of` the therethrough in vertical alinement for a pivot -plate Alendwise `of the hinge bolt, 1nay alsobe bolt or member (not shown) for connecting the remedied by tightening the nuts on the ends of 55 bolt 32, drawing the bars 24 and 25 of the tongue closer together and the inner faces of the ller members 30, 3l) closer to the opposite edges of plate 46.

The portion of plate 46 which overlies the basemember of plate 35 of the turn-table, has in itsv under face an annular groove or depression 55 concentric to an opening 56 through said plate 46 and also through plate 45. Said depression 55 is of the same dimensions as the depression 38 in plate 35 and is positioned opposite thereto, thereby providing an annular chamber approximately circular in cross-section and in which there is located a metal bearing ring 5l of corresponding dimensions and pr-eferably of steel. A king-bolt 58, headed at its lower end, passes upwardly through the opening 39 in plate 35 and the opening 56 in plates 46 and 45, and at its upper end carries a washer 59 and a turretnut 60. When nut 6D is adjusted to hold the parts assembled in the desired relationship, a key B'I (see Fig. 2) is inserted through notches of the turret-nut an-d through a perforation in the king-bolt 58, and the ends of the key are then spread apart in the usual way Ato prevent rotation of the nut. The space about the ring 51 is packed with grease, thereby facilitating free rotation of the rotating member of the turntable on thering as itsbearing and providing a substantially anti-friction bearing.

It has been customary, in towing hitches on the market prior to the present invention, to rely upon theking-bolt alone as the connecting means for transmitting the pulling power to the vehicle being towed. But experience has demonstrated that the king-bolt -and the openings through Ywhich it passes wear rapidly, producing looseness in the connections which is irremediable by adjustment and whichgreatly diminishes the efliciency and reliability of the entire apparatus, with theresultrand danger that the vehiclev being towed not only fails to follow in the path of the towing vehicle, but may collide with other vehicles and even run off the road.

With the construction of the present invention the pulling andkturning power and strains are transmitted mainly, if not entirely, through the bearing ring 51 of relatively large diameter and surface area; and Ithere is little, if any, strainA ancl'wear upon the king-bolt and the walls of the opening-through which it passes, its main function being to secure the partsl together in properly assembled relationship. Furthermore, any undesirable `looseness resulting from wear upon `ring V5l and the annular depressions in which it engages, may be readily compensated Vforby adjustment; that is, by removing the key `lil','tighteningthe nut 60 on the king-bolt 58 to forceithe`platef46 slightly toward the plate 35 and Vthereby into closer engagement with the bearing'rin'gil, and then replacing the key.

Y The` connections tothe steering mechanism of the vehicle V'being towed will now be described. Two-plates' 65and66, having oppositely positioned grooves engaging the connecting rod v23, are clamped in the desired position of adjustment Voxrsaid rod-by tighteningbolts El passing through openings at the corners of said plates. At the rear end of plates and 46, there is a vertical slot T3 (Fig. 2) through bothV plates and extending longitudinally thereof. The upper screwthreadedend of a rod 'H passes-through said slot "mfandfcarries-afnut 12 engaging the underside of ulateffsi la" mit 73 engaging 'the upper face of plate 45, and a lock nut 14. The rod 1I being adjusted and fixed in proper position in slot 10, its lower portion will engage freely through openings in both plates 65 and 66.

The operation of hitches of the general type illustrated and described, being well understood and obvious, description thereof is believed to be unnecessary. Suflice it to say that, when the steering mechanism of the vehicle to be towed is in good operating condition, the towed vehicle will be propelled and steered in a manner to accurately follow the path of the towing Vehicle.

All of the parts are preferably made of steel, thereby dispensing with wood (sometimes used in prior hitches) which is subject to warping and decay. Furthermore, in the event of accident or wreck, the steel will bend without breaking and may be easily straightened or restored to its original shape. The hitch may be installed either on top of, or beneath, the front axle of practically allstandard makes of automobiles or four wheeled trailers. The adjustability ofthe attachment to the connecting rod of the steering mechanism of the towed vehicle, accommodates the hitch to the particular locationy of said rod with relation to the front axle, which location or distance varies in different makes of vehicles which it may be desired to tow. The take-up adjustments for the hinge at the rear end of the tongue, and for the turn-table, provide for tightening in the eventr oi' wear, making it possible to have at all times a positively acting hitch. A worn or wobbly hitch will not cause the towed vehicle to follow the path of the towing vehicle. The turn-table with the relatively large bearing ring affords smooth and easy actionand a lcng'wearing bearing surface which relieves pull and consequent wear on the king-'bolt and the walls of its openings. The tongue, constructed of two steel channel bars relatively wide apart at their rear ends, is'of great strength. l

What'is claimed as new is:

1. A towing hitch, comprising in combination, 'a turn-table, including a base member, means for securing said base member to the vehicle to be towed, a'rotatable member, a separate and removable annular bearing member between said base-member and rotatable member and separating the same from engagement withl each other, and means for securing said members together while permitting relative rotation thereof'with said bearing member interposed; a tongue hinged to said rotatable member; and means for joining said rotatable member to the steering mechanism of the vehicle to be towed.

2. In a towing hitch, the combination of a turn-table comprising a base member, means for securing the same to the vehicle to be towed, a rotatable member, a king-pin Vpassing through said members,andaseparate and removable bearing ring between said members concentric to said king-pin and separating said members from engagement with each other; a tongue pivotally connected to said rotatable member; and means for joining said rotatable member to the steering mechanism of the vehicle to be towed.

3. In a towing hitch, a fth wheel construction comprisingrupper and lower turntables, annular' grooves formed in said turntables, king pin means for pivotally securing said turntables together, and a separate, removable annular bearingY ring positioned in said grooves.

GEORGE A. CRoF'r. 

